Hurricane
At times, the wind is an anthem
of fear and darkness its nest.
The pines and palms, the forest
a pinata of storms
the hurl of palm fronds like little green axes.
And watching Cedar Key
get pummeled, the island cottages
no match
for the surge, Helene
is dancing 400 miles each side of the spaghetti line--
a party girl in a loud dress.
And fearful, cautious, wondering
if the anger of God
is on display
we search for a bathtub, a washing machine
anything
to keep the roof at bay
hoping the band of tornadoes
is far, far away. The plywood remains
of clapboard lives sailing by, our landscape weaponized.
Mr. Melton is a graduate of The American University and Georgia Tech with degrees in City Planning, Economics and International Studies. His poetry has appeared in Amethyst, Agape Review, Big City Lit, Blue Collar Review, Confrontation, Compass Rose, The Galway Review, The Lyric, Monterey Poetry Review, Pure Slush and others. He resides in Bluffton, SC (USA).
At times, the wind is an anthem
of fear and darkness its nest.
The pines and palms, the forest
a pinata of storms
the hurl of palm fronds like little green axes.
And watching Cedar Key
get pummeled, the island cottages
no match
for the surge, Helene
is dancing 400 miles each side of the spaghetti line--
a party girl in a loud dress.
And fearful, cautious, wondering
if the anger of God
is on display
we search for a bathtub, a washing machine
anything
to keep the roof at bay
hoping the band of tornadoes
is far, far away. The plywood remains
of clapboard lives sailing by, our landscape weaponized.
Mr. Melton is a graduate of The American University and Georgia Tech with degrees in City Planning, Economics and International Studies. His poetry has appeared in Amethyst, Agape Review, Big City Lit, Blue Collar Review, Confrontation, Compass Rose, The Galway Review, The Lyric, Monterey Poetry Review, Pure Slush and others. He resides in Bluffton, SC (USA).
